Improvement in car-coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. A. MASON.

Car Coupling. N0'.104,z50. Patented June 28, 1870.

nj I Wain/eases 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

f J, A. MASON.

: CarCouplingL N. PETERS. Mmhu nphlr, Wnhinm 1 C To all whom it magconcern:

PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN A. MASON, or KEOKUK, IowA.

.IMVPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLING.

Specification forming part ot'Ilettcrs Patent No. 104,750, dated'Jnnc28, 1870.

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MASON, of Keokuk, in the county of Lee andState of Iowa, have invented anew and Improved Gar- Ooupling; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, ,Plate 1, is aView of the ends of two cars coupled together by my improved device.Fig. 2,Plate 1, is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is anend View of one car, showing one of the coupling draw-bars, its support,and the device for working it. Figs. 4 and 5, Plate-2, are perspectiveviews of the two coupling heads. Fig. 6, Plate 2, is a plan view, indetail, of the couplin gs detached from each other.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on car couplings,which have hooked heads formed on the ends of laterallymovable drawbars, and which are so constructed that when onecar is moved up toanother the coupling of the hooks is effected automatically.

The object of my invention is, first, to improve the hooked coupling byconstructing the hooking portions with overlapping flanges, in suchmanner that when a coupling is eli'eeted the flange of each hooked headwill overlap or lie over a reduced portion of the draw-bar behind theopposite hooked head, thereby preventing a casual uncoupling of theparts by either vertical or side motions of the cars, as will behereinafter explained; second, to provide draw-bars having the flangedhooks formed on them with laterally-inclined stirrups, which will allowthe free ends of the bars vertical and lateral motions, and also admitof their adjustment or adaptation to couplings in different planes, aswill be hereinafter explained; third, to provide for holding thedraw-bars in position for selfcoupling, for lockin g them securelytogether when coupled, and also, when desired, for locking them whenuncoupled, so that they will not couple, as will be hereinafterexplained.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation. I11 the accompanying drawing, AA represent the ends of two car-bodies having my improved couplingapplied to them.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the draw-bars B B are shown coupled; and in Fig. 6 thebars are shown uncoupled.

As the construction of the several parts for each end of each car isprecisely similar, I will describe the parts on one end of a car.

The draw-bar B extends beneath the platform A, and pivoted at P, Fig. 6,to a springbox or other equivalent elastic connection in such mannerthat the coupling end of the bar is allowedfree play both laterally andvertically.

Near the end of the car, and secured to the bottom of the same, is astirrup, a, which is arranged transversely with respect to the length ofthe car, and inclined from a point on one side of the center thereof toa point little to the opposite side of the center thereof,

as shown in Fig. 3. This stirrup n is designed to afford a support forthe coupling end of the draw-bar, and also to allow this end of the barfree play vertically and laterally.

That portion of the draw-bar B which is extended beyond the end of theplatform A is reduced at b on one side of its center, so as to leaveavertical and a horizontal recess occupying, say, two-thirds of the sizeof the bar, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. This reducedportion leaves a shoulder or butter, m, posteriorly, and anteriorly itterminates in a hook, c, which has a beveled overhanging flange, f, anda vertical transverse shoulder, c. The shoulder c of the hooking portion0 may be equal in width to the width of the draw-bar, or double thewidth of the portion 1); but this shoulder is only about one-half thevertical thickness of the draw-bar. Two hooks thus constructed will,when brought together, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, interlock, so that theflange f of one hook will lie over the reduced portion b behind theopposite hook, thus preventing the two hooks from separation vertically.

For the purpose of adapting the hooks to receive the well-knowncoupling-links, I slot the hooks, as shown at p, and provide them withvertical pin-holes g.

If desirable, the bottom surface of the flange f may be beveled, asshown at 0, Fig. 2, for allowing a slight play between the two hookswhich are coupled together.

For the purpose of operating the draw-bar,

.above the guard-rail of the platform, as in passenger-ears.

A hand-wheel, J, is applied on the upper end of shaft 0, and an arm, h,is applied to its lower end, by means of which latter arm and a link, h,that connects the arm to the draw-harat 'i, the draw-bar can bemovedlatorally, and uncoupled from a similar draw bar on another car.

A spring, 8, is so applied to the shaft 0 as to hold the draw-bar incoupling position, as shown in Fig. 3.

D is a ratchet-wheel on the shaft (1; and E is a double pawl, either oneof the prongs j j of which may be made to engage with the said wheel, orboth prongs maybe disconnected from it.

It will be seen. from the above description that I so construct hookedcoupling-heads on the ends of draw-bars that portions of the hookinglips will overlap the reduced portions 1) when two bars are coupledtogether, and thus prevent a casual uncoupling of the parts by verticalmotion.

It will also be seen that sufiieient space is allowed between the lowestportions of the inclined stirrups n n and the car-platforms to adjustthe draw-bars higher or lower, as may 1 be required, to effect acoupling with either links or hooks which may be in difierent horizontalplanes; also, that the draw-bars may be locked, by means of the doublepawl E, either when coupled or when uncoupled; and, finally, it will beseen that the shoulder m, at the rear termination of each reducedportion I) of a draw-head, serves as a buii'er in the act of effecting acouplin I am aware that hooked couplings for cars have been constructedin various ways, with a a view of preventing a casual detachment but Iam not aware that coupling-hooks have been so constructed before myinvention that they were held together vertically by means of transverseover-lapping lips constituting parts of the hooking portions.

Instead of the double-acting pawl E, a pinhole through the wheel D, witha pin to keep it locked or uncoupled, or simply a hook to hook in a holeor stop, might be employed.

Rods or chains may be applied to the hooks in such manner that thesebooks can be uncoupled by a person stationed on the ground on one sideof the cars.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The construct-ion, upon the coupling end of a draw-bar, of a hook, 0,having a lateral flange, f, formed on it, in combination with a rearreduced portion, 71, substantially as described.

2. The jointed device it h, arranged between and connected to the shaft0 and the drawbar B, whereby the use of springs may be dispensed with,and yet the uncoupling and coupling of the cars may be efiected byturning the shaft 0, all in the manner described.

3. The laterally-inclined stirrup n, laterally and vertically movabledraw-bar B, and a flanged coupling-hook, constructed and combinedsubstantially as described JOHN A. MASON.

Witnesses:

A. G. MCQUEEN, W.'(). HoPPn.

